What is Morocco like in May?

May is high season at its most generous. The imperial cities are warm and sunny, generally in the mid-to-high 20s, with the kind of long golden evenings that make Marrakech's rooftops and Fes's gardens unforgettable. It's hot enough that midday in the medina has real bite, so you learn the local rhythm — out early, a slow lunch and rest in the heat of the afternoon, back out as the light softens. Everything is open, everything is lush, and the country is firing on all cylinders.

This is the prime month for the High Atlas. The snow has largely cleared from the main trekking routes, the high passes open up, and Toubkal and the great valleys are at their best — wildflowers, running streams, cool mountain air as a relief from the lowland heat. If trekking or mountain villages are central to your trip, May (with June) is the window. The Sahara, on the other hand, is starting to flex its summer muscle. Early May is still comfortable; by late May daytime heat on the dunes is serious, and I start advising guests to keep desert time short, travel and sightsee around the edges of the day, and choose camps with proper shade and cooling.

The coast is where May really shines for sun-seekers. Essaouira, Agadir and the Atlantic beaches are warm, bright and increasingly swimmable, and the ocean breeze keeps the whole strip comfortable even when the interior is baking. A lot of well-planned May itineraries lean on this — cities and mountains for culture and scenery, then the coast to cool off. Chefchaouen and the green, hilly north are also lovely and a touch cooler than the south.

May sits at the top of the price-and-crowd curve along with April and October. Flights and the best riads are expensive and book out early, and marquee sights are busy from mid-morning. Spring festivals — the Rose Festival in the Dades valley around the El Kelaa des Mgouna roses is a May highlight — add wonderful colour but also draw visitors. Plan ahead, sightsee early, build in afternoon downtime for the heat, and pack light, breathable clothing with sun protection. You're paying peak rates, but the weather and scenery largely justify it.